


Someday

by Paperback_Head



Series: Clone Series [1]
Category: Person Of Interest - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-06-10 05:19:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6941485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paperback_Head/pseuds/Paperback_Head
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Shaw returns to a rather unexpected surprise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A moment after Shaw had stumbled into the subway and collapsed by the door, Finch had immediately contacted Root. He knew that it was better to interrupt the rare night off that the Machine had gifted her and inform her of Shaw's return rather than wait until the next day.

Finch had given her directions to one of the few safe houses that they still had access to and had moved Shaw there, with the help of Reese of course. Root didn't arrive too much later, carrying a sleeping toddler and looking anything but calm. 

It had been thirteen days after the stock exchange and and three days after their impromptu visit to Maple and the Machine's request that Root had discovered that she was pregnant. That was all the motivation that she needed to whip herself into shape and get back in the game. She was not going to allow the mother of her child to remain under the care of an evil ASI that wanted to control the entire planet.

She only told the boys when she began showing in the fourth month, not exactly seeing any reason to. Finch had promptly forbid her to continue any field work but still allowed her to work numbers from the comfort of the subway. However, things didn't become real until Finch had organised an ultrasound at the six month mark. She had made sure to get four printouts, one for herself that she kept in her pocket at all times, and one for Finch, Reese and Fusco.

It wasn't until the baby was actually born that reality hit her like a tonne of bricks. It was entirely bittersweet and she was so overwhelmed with emotions that she didn't stop crying for two hours. 

The moment that she laid eyes on her son, their son, she knew that she would give everything up in a heartbeat with no regrets for him. He was tiny, surprisingly quite quiet and perfect. There was no other word in the entire history of mankind that would fit. She named him Oliver Xerxes, wanting to honour Shaw's culture.

Finch had ensured that he existed on the grid, hacking whatever was needed to ensure that he could have a normal life. In the process, he decided that it was necessary for them all to have a cover identity that wasn't temporary. Root had memorised her cover from front to back and ensured that Oliver also knew basic things that children his age would know like her name, age and job.

As he grew, Root couldn't help but note the similarities between Oliver and Shaw. His eyes were most definitely Sameen's. His dark, inquisitive gaze conveyed many emotions that Root knew may never be uttered aloud. Whilst Oliver didn't seem to inherit Shaw's appetite, he did somewhat share her emotional limitations although not as severely. He was shy, somewhat socially awkward and didn't seem to respond to certain situations as other children his age would.

Despite her many fears, Root was an amazing mother. She made sure that she was home every morning to take him to day care and every night to tuck him in bed and read him a story when she wasn't abroad. She knew every single insignificant detail about her son. She knew that he preferred sleeping on his side so he could see the door of wherever he was sleeping. She knew that he didn't like his food touching and that he ate things in a certain order. She knew that for some reason he always had nightmares whenever she wasn't home. She knew everything and could answer any question about him.

And Oliver was practically a member of the team at this point. He stayed with Finch or Reese when Root was away on missions for the Machine, although trips out of town had been much less frequent in the three years since Oliver was born. He had everyone wrapped around his finger, even though he didn't know it. Finch would teach him chess and would answer any questions that he would ask without hesitation. Reese would play video games with him and showed him basic defence moves, no matter how much Finch had protested. Fusco would take him to a movie or a hockey game every now and then when he got the chance, insisting that he needed to be "cultured."

"How is she?" Root asked softly, rubbing Oliver's back for more her benefit than his. 

"Ms. Shaw could be asleep for several hours to several days, Root." Finch informed her quietly.

Reese took Oliver from Root when he shifted at the sound of voices and laid him down on the couch, placing the folded blanket over him. They then moved the discussion to the dining room, far enough that their voices wouldn't disrupt the toddler's sleeping schedule.

"Can I see her?" Root asked. She didn't miss the small look that Finch and Reese shared and she knew what the answer was going to be.

"Perhaps that isn't the best course of action." Finch spoke cautiously, choosing his words very carefully. "We still have no clue as to how Ms. Shaw escaped."

"You don't trust her." Root accused. She didn't need to phrase it like a question as it was quite obvious from the wince that she received from Finch.

"We just need to be cautious, Root." Reese intervened, making a point to look into the living area to emphasise his point. "Now more than ever."

"You don't think I know that." Root screamed. She knew that they were being protective of not only her and Oliver but the entire team as well. She could feel the moisture building behind her eyelids that she forced closed. 

"Mommy," A small voice called, drawing her back to reality. She quickly blinked away any and all tears before turning her attention the her little boy, their little boy.

"Come here," Root said in the tone that she reserved for Oliver and crouched down to his height. It wasn't often that he was affectionate but he was extremely observant and knew when she needed it the most. He quickly made his way over to her and wrapped his arms around her neck as she held him in a firm grip, lifting him off the ground and standing at her full height. It only took about a minute for the toddler to go back to sleep.

Nobody noticed the short figure standing there until they spoke.

"Root," a hoarse voice called softly, startling everyone.

Root felt tears begin building again but this time, she didn't feel the need to fight against them.

"I think it's best if we give you both some privacy." Finch spoke up after a few moments of silence. "I would be quite happy to take Oliver for the night if you would prefer."

"I think they've got it Finch." Reese told him before embracing Root, much to the surprise of Shaw. "You need anything, call me." He whispered in her ear before affectionately scuffing up Oliver's hair a little.

They left without another word and the two women remained in the same place. Neither knew what to say but there was a lot of things that needed to be discussed, the little boy in her arms being one of them.

"Who's that?" Shaw asked stiffly as she eyed the small figure that Root kept a tight grip on.

Root gently ran her hand through his slightly messy brown hair. "This..." Root choked up for a moment before continuing. "This is our son."

Shaw's eyes immediately snapped up to catch Root's gaze, wanting to ensure that she had heard correctly. She saw nothing that indicated deceit in Root's eyes and found herself at a loss for words. The shock in her eyes were quickly replaced with hope and longing.

"Ours?" She asked in a whisper of disbelief. 

Root simply nodded her head and kept eye contact with Shaw. Everything was so overwhelming and if it wasn't for the small, warm body in her arms she would think that this was all a dream.

"What's... Uh, what's his name?" She suddenly asked.

"Oliver," Root answered softer than she had intended. "But I call him Ollie."

At the sound of his name, Oliver briefly stirred before settling back down. Shaw watched the small movement in complete awe. She was completely engrossed by the little boy, her little boy. She could imagine all the things that she had already missed out on. Root's pregnancy, Oliver's birth, his first steps, his first words. It had been almost four years that she had missed and could never get back.

Root could see the moisture building in Shaw's eyes but decided not to draw attention to it. It intrigued her to see how emotional Shaw was getting due to the thoughts that were going through her head.

"You can hold him if you want." Root said quietly as she took a few steps towards Shaw until they were a few inches apart.

"Are you sure?" Shaw asked in a whisper. It pained Root to hear Shaw seeking permission to hold their son. She knew that Shaw didn't trust herself right now but she trusted her enough for the both of them.

"Of course." Root replied before gently handing Oliver over.

He was fairly light and smelled like bubblegum shampoo. He unconsciously wrapped his arms tightly around Shaw's neck and Root felt a tear slip down her cheek. Shaw kept a gentle but firm grip on him, not wanting to accidentally drop the sleeping three year old.

They remained standing in silence for a few minutes before Root suggested that they sit down. They moved to the living room and sat beside each other on the sofa, leaving enough room between them for Oliver to lay down with his head on Shaw's lap. Root couldn't help but smile at how gentle Shaw was as she began running her fingers through his soft hair. 

"What's he like?" Shaw asked in an astonished whisper, continuing her movements but locking eye contact with Root.

"He's... perfect." Root replied with a small smile that only Oliver could bring to her face. "He's smart, inquisitive, and asks a lot of questions. He's also quiet and shy, he doesn't have many friends but he likes spending time with the guys anyway."

"Does he know... about everything?" Shaw asked. "About the team, about Samaritan, about me?"

"Of course he knows about you." Root maintain eye contact with Shaw and spoke with nothing but determination. "He doesn't know about the Machine or Samaritan but he knows that we help people when their in trouble and that's enough for now."

"He looks a lot like you." Shaw commented.

Root chuckled at that and a grin spread across her face. "That's funny, the guys always say he looks a lot like you."

"We have a lot to talk about." Shaw whispered.

Root hummed in acknowledgement. "It can wait until tomorrow, sweetie."

They remained in silence for about twenty minutes in which Root fell asleep. Shaw soon followed, finally feeling safe enough to close her eyes and drift away. During the night they somehow shifted resulting with Shaw in the middle, keeping a tight hold on both Root and Oliver. This was exactly the position that Finch found them in the next morning and he couldn't keep the smile off of his face at the sight of the small family. If it was anyone who deserved a happy ending, it was them.


	2. First Impressions

Shaw awoke the next morning to slightly raised voices and the mouthwatering scent of bacon wafting from the kitchen. She groaned as she opened her eyes briefly before closing them once again when bright light assaulted her. She rolled over and it took her a moment to recount the events of the previous day, which had her opening her eyes wide and sitting up quite quickly. She was greeted with the view of more sunlight and a tiny figure standing in front of her holding a plastic cup.

Shaw hesitantly made eye contact with the little boy and saw caution being reciprocated from dark brown eyes that were almost black and matched her own almost exactly. She could see a lot of curiosity that screamed Root except that there was no mischief accompanying it, it was completely innocent and Shaw found herself smiling involuntarily. His brown hair, which was darker than Root's but lighter than her own, was quite messy and his pyjamas, that consisted of a striped blue t-shirt and black track pants, were fairly wrinkled. 

"Hi," Shaw greeted quietly, not wanting to alert whoever was in the kitchen that she was awake just yet. She listened a little closer and almost instantly identified the owners of the voices as Root and Finch. "I'm Sameen." She added a second later.

The little boy, Oliver she reminded herself, continued to gaze at her cautiously before waving at her with the hand that wasn't holding the plastic cup. She hadn't believed Root when she had told her the previous night that their son was quiet. She didn't understand how any child raised by Root could be considered quiet, however now she was beginning to agree. He looked like he had been awake for a while, drawing Shaw guessed as she spared a glance to the coffee table that was covered in paper and crayons, and hadn't woken her up. 

"Can I have some?" She asked with a head tilt towards the cup.

He seemed to consider his answer quite carefully before nodding his head and moving the cup closer so that she could grasp it better. She was quite surprised to find that it wasn't water as she had initially thought but chocolate milk, not that she was complaining.

"Thanks." She muttered as she handed it back and wiped the milk moustache away with her forearm.

They remained in a comfortable silence as Oliver went back to drawing at the coffee table and Shaw watched him in fascination. Here was a tiny human who she hadn't known existed until the previous night and she was becoming completely infatuated with him. She felt oddly protective and was in complete awe of everything he did, which at the moment consisted of scribble and barely recognisable stick figures.

She was so distracted that she didn't notice the voices get closer and louder in volume until they stopped all together as Oliver turned his gaze towards the new occupants in the room. Finch suddenly came into view and stopped next to Oliver, absorbing the three year old's artwork with squinted eyes.

"That's very nice picture you have drawn, Oliver." Finch commented softly, earning a bright smile from the toddler that melted Shaw's heart. He looked exactly as she remembered Root, impossibly happy and content with life. 

"He's quite the artist Harry," An all too familiar voice commented with pride easily identifiable. "We've got drawings everywhere at home."

"I'm sure they are just as impressive as this one." Finch replied, returning Oliver's smile. It was only then that Finch spared a glance at Shaw, who was still laying on the couch, and noticed that she was awake. "Good morning, Ms. Shaw."

"Hey, Finch." Shaw responded hoarsely as she stretched herself out. She figured she might as well now that they knew she was awake. However, she had forgotten about her battered and abused body and tried not to draw attention to the wince that overtook her face as months of misuse hit her at once.

"How are you feeling?" He asked sincerely however Shaw knew that he was suspicious, and he had every right to be. In fact, she would be disappointed if he wasn't.

"Little sore," She easily lied, knowing that Root would catch the tone of her voice. After all, Root knew her better than anyone else including herself sometimes. "I'll be alright though."

"Well, if you need anything please don't hesitate to contact me." He directed to Shaw before turing his attention to Root. "I do hope that we can discuss this matter again in the near future."

"You know my position Harry." Root responded in a disapproving tone.

"Mr. Reese should be dropping by this afternoon with Bear." He informed, choosing to ignore Root's response, before limping towards the door. "Enjoy your day."

And with that he was gone with little to no noise. The remaining trio settled into silence for a few moments before Root audibly sighed. This sigh was easy for Shaw to distinguish from her other sighs. This particular sigh was a sigh of relief, from what exactly Shaw didn't know but she figured it had something to do with the raised voices that woke her up.

"Ollie," Root spoke up in a sincerely sweet tone, immediately gaining the three year old's full attention. "Go wash your hands and then we can have breakfast."

Oliver stood up and walked towards what Shaw assumed to be the bathroom, following his mother's instructions easily. Shaw could sense Root watching her as she tracked their son until he was out of her line of sight but she didn't mind. She would never admit it out loud but she had missed Root's staring, no matter how much it had annoyed her before. 

Root walked around the sofa and knelt in front of Shaw, instantly locking gazes. It wasn't like the constant battle for dominance that Shaw remembered, it was much softer and restrained. That fact alone made Shaw want to release a sigh of relief. She wasn't the same as before and she didn't want Root to be disappointed however it was quite obvious that Root had also changed in the four years that they had been kept apart. What hadn't changed though was Shaw's ability to get lost in Root's eyes that were a perfect combination of honey brown and burnt sienna. She could stare into Root's eyes forever and still be completely engrossed in them.

"How'd you sleep?" She asked in a whisper that shocked Shaw out of her musings.

"Better than I have in four years." Shaw whispered with a small smile that would have been uncharacteristic four years prior. Root involuntarily reciprocated and fought against the urge to place a light kiss onto Shaw's lips. She had waited this long, she could wait a little longer until Shaw was ready.

"I made breakfast if you're hungry." Root told her softly before Oliver reemerged from the bathroom.

"Done mommy." He said proudly, holding up his hands for inspection. Shaw's eyes immediately shifted to Oliver to make sure that she had heard right. It was surreal for her to interact with a child, let alone her own child, but it was another thing to hear his voice. 

Root smiled at the look of wonder in Shaw's eyes. She imagined that it was the exact same when she had laid eyes on him, or when he took his first steps, or said his first words. She knew that it was still like that whenever she woke up to his bright smile and put him to bed every night receiving whispered I love you's.

"Alright, I guess it's time for breakfast then." Root responded as she stood up before reaching out her hands to Shaw in order to help her get up. Shaw knew she didn't miss her subtly pained tone earlier, she never had. 

Once Shaw was standing up they made their way into the kitchen where bacon and pancakes awaited them. Shaw couldn't fight the urge to raise her eyebrow at the fact that Root had actually made breakfast and not set a single fire. Although she supposed that it wasn't a good lifestyle for a child to live off of a diet that was primarily take out. Whilst Root wasn't a professional chef, even though she had been given covers from the Machine that had a this profession previously, she knew how to make the standard meals.

She watched as Root plated Oliver's food and took note of the fact that the pancakes and bacon were placed far enough apart that there was minimal chance of touching or cross contamination. In addition.p, Oliver ate his food exactly like Root, with a striking similarity to a bird. He didn't eat a lot, barely managing two pancakes and a strip of bacon, and took small bites of each. He downed it all with another cup of chocolate milk that Root informed her was their son's favourite beverage.

Shaw decided that she should eat slower than usual, knowing that she and Root had to have a serious conversation about... well everything. But she figured that the conversation could wait a little while longer so that she could enjoy a surprisingly delicious meal with her family before getting into the hard stuff.


	3. Chapter 3

As promised, Reese came by during the afternoon with Bear in tow. The familiar scent of Shaw alone was enough to get the dog excited but to see her seemed to be another thing entirely. The dog had taken off at lightening speed and tackled Shaw, licking every inch of her face. Shaw didn't bother fighting him off though. She was glad to be back as well.

Reese followed the Belgian Malinois a few moments later and breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar sight. He shared a brief glance with Root, who quickly avoided eye contact. Finch had informed him about the argument they had gotten into that morning and he felt the need to check in on her.

They had gotten much closer since the stock exchange and even more so when Root had informed him of her pregnancy. He was the one who would hold her when she cried for Shaw or listened when she needed to let off some steam. He had practically moved into the subway just in case she ever needed anything and as a result they were much closer and genuinely worried about one another. Reese knew that Root hated fighting with Finch about anything, although it seemed to be becoming a more common occurrence during recent times, so she wouldn't do so without a good reason and Shaw definitely qualified.

He shuffled closer to her so that he could speak quietly, not wanting Shaw to overhear. "I heard about what happened this morning."

"Harry should have known better." Root commented in a guarded tone that Reese easily identified. She wasn't just angry, she was pissed off. "I would never do anything to put Ollie in danger. He, of all people, should know that."

"I'm not disagreeing with you but I do think he has a point. We don't know what Samaritan did to her Root..." Reese had been in the middle of saying before Root cut him off.

"Exactly John. We don't know what they did but I trust her more than anyone. She sacrificed herself so that we could keep fighting. They had her for four years and she never broke, we wouldn't be here if she had." Root pointed out just as she had with Finch that morning.

It was then that Oliver awoke from his short nap. He had fallen asleep while watching a movie and Shaw had been more than happy to keep him curled next to her on the couch. Of course now the woman was happily running her fingers through Bear's fur and whispering things to him.

"Uncle John," Oliver greeted as he excitedly made his way over to Reese, who immediately crouched down in order to pick him up.

"There he is," Reese said as he lightly tickled the boy's side, resulting in a small giggle. Shaw's attention seemed to be immediately snatched away and Reese could see how absorbed she already was with her son. He had been through everything with Root from the moment she revealed her pregnancy. He promised that he wasn't going to let anything happen to Root or the baby and, so far, he had kept it. "You been good for your moms?" 

Both Root and Shaw raised their eyebrows at him in surprise. They hadn't mentioned that Shaw was his mother yet and Root had been trying to think of a way to broach the subject. Although, apparently she just needed Reese to rip off the band aid. Though if the question confused Oliver at all, he didn't show it and simply nodded in response.

"That's good." He replied with a soft smile. "Why don't you go see Bear and I'll talk to your mom for a bit? That sound fair?"

Oliver nodded and was placed back onto the ground so that he could go see Bear, who was still on top of Shaw. The pair then moved into the kitchen to avoid the other two occupants from overhearing.

"I'm not trying to start an argument Root, I'm just saying that you need to look at things from Finch's perspective..." He began and, as he saw Root's mouth open slightly to cut him off again, gave her a stern look before continuing. "...just as he needs to look at things from your perspective."

"It's been four years, John. We couldn't find her in four years. She missed over three years of our son's life, fours years of our life, and Harold actually wants me to stay away and give her space." Root ranted loud enough to get her point across but also quiet enough as to not alert Shaw or panic Oliver. The little boy wasn't a fan of loud voices, likely due to his quiet nature, and Root tried her hardest not to expose him to it.

"Finch is just trying to protect you and Oliver." Reese responded neutrally. "What if they did do something and she hurts Oliver?"

"What if they did do something and she is strong enough to fight it?" Root quickly retorted.

They remained staring at each other with guarded expressions, both unwilling to compromise on their arguments. Reese knew that Root was acting more emotionally than logically but he couldn't stop her, not now that she was so determined. It was exactly like when she managed to send a brief massage to Shaw the previous year while on a mission for the Machine. There was no talking her out of it.

"I had this exact same argument with Finch fighting for your side Root." Reese spoke after a few moments. He could see the change in her demeanour as the anger began to slowly trickle away. "I'm on your side but Finch did raise a valid argument. Until we know how affected Shaw is, we can't risk anything happening to Oliver."

"Then I'll find out." Root said softly, her voice dripping with determination. "She spent three years away from her son, I'm not keeping him from her."

"Look, why don't I take him for a few hours? I'll take him and Bear to the park, we'll have dinner and I'll drop him back." Reese suggested, ignoring the suspicious look Root was giving him. "It'll give you and Shaw a chance to talk, really talk about everything."

"You're sure?" Root asked however a light smile pulled at her lips. Reese was a perfect friend and had been through the rollercoaster that was the last four years at her side, whether Root liked it or not.

"Absolutely." John responded. With that Root pulled him into a quick hug that he stiffly reciprocated. He still wasn't used to being hugged by Root, probably due to her unpredictable nature. He looked down at his watch when they pulled apart, making their way back to the living room where Shaw and Oliver were lying on the floor, both running their hands over Bear who laid in between them. "I'll have him back by seven."

"Ollie," Root called, capturing both Oliver and Shaw's attention. Shaw moved back so she was sitting against the couch and Oliver raised his head to indicate that he was paying attention. "You're going to go with John for a few hours, okay?" She received a nod in return and waited for him to stand up from the floor.

"Say goodbye to your moms, kid." Reese reminded.

To Shaw's surprise, Oliver took a few steps towards her and lightly wrapped his arms around her neck. Shaw was completely still for a second before she wrapped her arm around him stiffly, not exactly knowing what to do. He pulled back after a few seconds and made his way to Root, who was already crouched and engulfed him in a tight embrace before placing a light kiss on his forehead and releasing him.

"I... love... you." Root told him pausing after every word to allow for a small action. She pointed to herself before making a heart with her fingers and finally pointing at Oliver.

"Love... you... too." He responded, making a heart then pointing at Root and holding up two fingers.

Root offered him a warm smile before standing up as Reese and Oliver made their way towards the door with Bear in tow. It was only a few minutes later that Shaw and Root were completely alone.

"We have a lot to talk about." Root whispered softly, earning a nod from Shaw. The atmosphere in the room quickly changed, making Root feel claustrophobic all of a sudden.

"What do you want to know?" Shaw asked as she stood up from the floor, openly wincing at the pain and discomfort that flared all over her body, and sat herself down onto the sofa.

Root wanted to know everything but she knew better than to ask that of Shaw. She had never and would never push Shaw to give more than she was capable of. Root knew her limitations and, unlike the rest of society, believed that she was just like everyone else, except that she had fallen head over heels in love with Shaw.

"Whatever you're willing to share." Root replied instead, slowly moving towards Shaw. She was giving her time to object to Root's proximity but when nothing was said, Root took the opportunity to sit down on the other side of the couch, sitting cross legged and facing Shaw.

"You're, um... you're sure you wanna know?" Shaw asked hesitantly as she turned her head to look at Root, causing Root to reconsider for a moment. The pained, desperate look in Shaw's eyes was enough to bring her to tears but she refused to allow such a thing to happen. Shaw didn't hesitate, not unless she was unsure to continue with a certain course of action or not. This was the most obvious indication that whatever Shaw had been forced to endure was going to be difficult to hear about, possibly more difficult than Root had anticipated.

Root took a deep, calming breath before nodding her head to indicate that she was completely sure of her decision.


	4. Chapter 4

"I don't, ah... exactly know where to start." Shaw said quietly, her voice small and timid. It was almost as if she was seeking permission and Root knew for a fact that this was going to be a difficult conversation. 

"Just, start with anything." Root told her softly, purposely seeking eye contact in order for her message to get across. "You don't have to tell me anything that you don't want me to know, Sameen. I'm not going to push you. When you're ready, you'll tell me."

"There was a... They had this device that put me into scenarios, simulations to find out where the Machine was." Shaw recalled, stumbling over her words a few times. "The first thousand times it was easy to fight, you know. It wasn't real, I knew that but then it got more... realistic. It learnt from the first couple."

Shaw paused for a moment and pulled on the black sweatshirt that smelled like Root, suddenly feeling completely exposed and in need of comfort. She didn't have any experience when it came to discussing something that made her emotional. The most emotions that she had ever allowed herself to display openly was anger, frustration and annoyance. Everything else was new to her. The volume had been turned up on everything all at once and it was completely overwhelming.

"After a few thousand I thought it was real, Finch, Reese... you. God, I wanted it to be you but it wasn't." She admitted in a whisper. She saw tears beginning to well up in Root's eyes so Shaw kept her gaze on her lap. She couldn't take the feeling that it made her feel, the pressure that would settle in her chest and restrict her breathing. "Nothing was the same in any of them, except the ending. They would always end the same."

"How?" Root asked softly, after a full minute of silence.

"I didn't know who was controlling me, in any of them. I didn't feel like myself, you know. I always felt like someone was making me do something. Whatever it was, Samaritan or whatever, wanted me to shoot you... kill you." She mumbled, her voice void of all emotion on purpose. Little did she know, a single tear had fallen from her own eye and formed a glistening path on her left cheek. "But I couldn't so... I would shoot myself instead."

"How many?" Root asked, to which Shaw opened her mouth to dismiss the question but Root cut her off. "Sameen, how many times?"

Shaw looked up from her hands to Root, who had a death grip on one of the throw pillows. "7033." She responded.

At this revelation, Root audibly gasped as the floodgates were released and a never ending stream of salty moisture began to fall onto her shirt. Shaw remained completely still, not knowing how to react. The pressure in her chest was definitely there and felt heavier than ever before. She had never seen Root react to anything quite so emotionally before and she didn't know what she was supposed to do.

After a few minutes, Shaw decided to move closer to Root until she was sitting next to her. Root almost immediately wrapped her arms around Shaw as tightly as possible and cried into her shoulder. Shaw didn't mind as much as she thought she would and simply held Root while she finally released all the emotions that she had been holding since the stock exchange.

\-----

Reese and Oliver sat in companionable silence beside each other, watching Bear happily run around and as they ate their ice creams. This was quite a regular occurrence and John felt like it gave Oliver a chance to talk about things more freely if he wanted or needed to without fear of getting into trouble. 

Reese had begun bringing him to the park the previous year after Bear had gotten sick. Thankfully it wasn't too serious but it was difficult thing to explain to a toddler. He had become uncharacteristically angry and uncooperative with both Root and Finch. It wasn't until John had spoken with him that he finally told him what was wrong and they talked through it. 

It was obvious that Oliver was more like Shaw than he appeared and he didn't know how to express his emotions, although it was easier to manage considering his age. So, Reese had made a deal with Root that he could take Oliver to the park at least once a week to blow off some steam. It was obvious to Root after the first time that Reese's method seemed to work so she easily agreed, even though it did hurt her to know that Oliver felt he couldn't talk to her about what he was feeling.

They always got the same flavours, mint for Oliver in a cup to avoid mess and chocolate in a cone for Reese, and sat in the exact same spot under a large tree that provided sufficient protection from the sun. It was the perfect spot to keep an eye on Bear but allow him to freely roam around.

"Uncle John," Oliver spoke up after a little while, his eyes scanning the many people around them. 

"What's up?" John asked

"Sameen my mama? He asked quietly, just above a whisper.

John thought about it for a few moments. The simple answer of course was yes but how did you explain to a three year old that she may not be the person that she was before. "Yeah buddy, she is." John decided to respond with.

"Why mommy not tell me?" He followed up as he continued the eat his ice cream.

John sighed. He always got asked the hard questions, although Finch would probably disagree. "Your moms have been through a lot Oliver and your mom probably just didn't know how to tell you."

"Shoulda told me." He grumbled softly and Reese could see the hint of hurt and frustration in his mostly passive expression.

"Maybe you should talk to her about it. I don't think she meant to hurt your feelings." Reese told him as he finished his ice cream cone. "Sometimes parents don't tell children things to protect them. You can't be too upset with your mom. She's doing her best."

It was at that moment that Reese's phone rang, Detective Riley's phone, and he answered it after checking the caller id and seeing that it was Iris. "Hey, Sweetheart." He greeted. 

He and Iris had been together for most of the time that Shaw was MIA and, over the years, Finch had allowed John to share most of the truth with her. For her safety, she didn't know about the Machine or Samaritan and knew not to discuss John's side job openly, especially over the phone. She had even been given a secure, Samaritan free phone that was connected the their mesh network in case of emergencies. Iris kept John grounded and gave him someone to fight for. She had met the entire team at this stage and she had grown quite fond of Oliver.

"Hey handsome, I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with me tonight at my place?" She asked and John could her the smile in her voice.

"What time were you thinking?" John asked, checking his watch and noticing that it was already five thirty. He had an hour and a half before he had to drop Oliver back at the safe house with his parents. 

"Around six?" She asked. Usually such an early dinner was unusual but John knew that she accumulated a large amount of paperwork to complete in the last week due to a shoot out that occurred with four rookies. 

"As long as you don't mind Oliver tagging along." John replied, turning his gaze back to the three year old who was eating the last spoonful of ice cream.

"Of course not." Iris responded easily. 

"Okay, we should get there in about half an hour. We just have to drop Bear off with Lionel." John informed her as he stood up, with Oliver following suit.

"Alright, I'll see you then." And with that the call ended and John returned the phone to his pocket. "We have to drop Bear off at the precinct and then we'll go have dinner with Iris, okay?" John relayed the plan to Oliver, gaining a nod in response.

"Let's go get Bear." John said but, as soon as the words left his mouth, Oliver took off chasing after the Belgian Malinois.

\-----

Root laid on the couch with Shaw as silent tears continued to trickle down her cheeks. Hearing everything that had happened to Shaw during her time in Samaritan's custody broke her heart but seeing first hand just how affected Shaw was by it emotionally nearly stopped it altogether.

Their bodies were pressed impossibly close together and they had their arms wrapped around each other, keeping them in place. Root had her head rested on Shaw's chest so that her ear was exactly over her heart, listening to the strong and steady rhythm that instantly calmed her down. Shaw kept one of her arms wrapped around her waist while the other absentmindedly ran through Root's hair soothingly. 

They had been this way since Shaw had told her about the simulations. Once Root had calmed down a little Shaw finished telling her everything that she remembered, every single detail about her prolonged torture, and hadn't said anything since. The old Shaw would have never held Root like this, never allowed herself to hold her like this, but she knew the taller woman needed the comfort.

They were eventually interrupted by the shrill ringing of Root's cell phone that was placed on the coffee table in front of them.

"Leave it." Shaw whispered, feeling Root shift so that she could reach the interrupting device. She quite liked the warm embrace and didn't want to let her go just yet, not that she'd ever admit it.

"Wish I could, sweetie." Root replied before placing a light kiss onto Shaw's chest where her heart continued beating underneath and answered the call. "What is it, Harold?" Root asked, still a tad bitter about their argument from early that morning.

"I apologise for the interruption Root but it appears we have a situation that requires your presence." Finch hurriedly explained and the panic in his tone made her muscle's stiffen. Shaw, feeling the change in Root's demeanour, lifted her head and made eye contact with her. "It appears that Mr. Reese and Oliver are missing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. If anyone's interested, I have written another fic based off of a prompt I received so go and check it out. I am unsure of whether or not I'll continue it, maybe I'll just write for it sporadically. Anyway, if you have any prompts let me know.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured everyone could use another chapter after the emotional trauma we were put through in 5x10.

"Let me get this straight," Root said in a frustrated tone ignoring the fearful look on Finch's face. "We have an artificial super intelligence at our disposal and we can't find John or Oliver."

"Root, perhaps you should try calming down and..." Finch began but was quickly cit off by Root.

"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down when my three year old is missing in New York City?!" Root asked loudly, completely frustrated and scared for Oliver's safety. Not even the Machine could locate them which only made the situation worse in Root's mind.

Shaw stood a few feet away, not having any idea what to do with herself. She didn't know what to say to Root. She didn't even know what she was feeling. Since Root had explained the situation to her, the pressure in her chest hadn't vanished and she couldn't keep worst case scenarios out of her head. She didn't know what it was but she sure as hell didn't like it.

"I'd hate to be the one to ask but could it be Samaritan?" Shaw asked, drawing both Root and Finch's attention. It was the first time that she had spoken since they had arrived at the subway and the question earned her a wary expression from Finch.

"Thankfully, Ms. Shaw, that is not a possibility." Finch answered, not bothering to elaborate.

"So if it's not Samaritan, who else could it be?" Shaw asked, sending the other two occupants into silence as they contemplated the possibilities. Neither Finch nor Root had an answer but the possibility of Samaritan being the culprit was impossible. Oliver was safe, the Machine had made sure of it.

"Perhaps this has nothing to do with our work." Finch voiced his thoughts aloud, capturing Root and Shaw's attention. He remained silent for a few moments before noticing that the two women were giving him impatient expressions so he clarified. "This may have nothing to do with Mr. Reese and everything to do with Detective Riley."

"In that case, I should pay Lionel a little visit. See if he knows anything." Root decided. However, as she turned around she didn't find Sameen standing where she had been a few moments prior.

\-----

Fusco kept his life really simple since he had been informed about the great war happening between two machines that he had been sucked into. He did his job and took care of his son, helping the team on the side when he could. However, it had been less frequent since Reese had told him. He would gladly admit that the whole thing creeped him out and he tried very hard to keep off the evil machine's hit list.

Tonight he was stuck on a stakeout that Reese was supposed to meet up with him for. He didn't like being blown off but at least he had the dog to keep him company. Bear was pretty low maintenance and was quite happy to lay in the backseat and take a nap if he wanted.

He was in complete shock when the passenger door of the car opened and a very unhappy Shaw got into the vehicle. Now that he was in the loop about everything, he had been privy to Root's investigation of Shaw's whereabouts. The only reason he even knew about it was because he watched Oliver for her so that Finch and Reese wouldn't ask too many questions. He didn't mind but Fusco was still at a complete loss as to how a psychopath and sociopath had created a kid like Oliver.

They remained silent for a few moments before Shaw finally spoke up. "You hear about Reese?" She asked, getting straight down to business. She wasn't going to waste time with greetings when her kid had already been missing for three hours.

"What about him?" Fusco asked skeptically. He had overheard a few arguments here and there between Finch and Root about Shaw, whether she could be trusted or not if they ever found her and brought her back. They both had valid arguments and Fusco had decided that he would judge for himself when the time came. 

"He's missing," She replied, keeping her gaze focused on the windshield of the car. "Oliver too. The Machine can't find them and Finch seems to think that Samaritan can't have anything to do with it. So, who would want Detective Riley?"

Fusco looked at her in utter disbelief. Sure, it wasn't unusual for Reese to go missing but never with Oliver. They knew exactly how protective Root was and knew what they would be in for if they so much as thought about taking him somewhere without her knowing about it. She wasn't a strict parent by anyone's standard but she made exceptions when it came to the safety of her son.

Fusco quickly ran through all their current cases mentally before moving onto events from the past few days. Only one person stood out and was worth mentioning. "Bruce Moran. He paid me a visit a few days ago, threatened my kid. I told wonder boy about it and he said he'd handle it. Haven't heard from Moran since."

"What'd Moran want?" Shaw asked emotionlessly. She knew better than to walk into a fight without knowing as many details as possible. After all, knowledge is power. The more she knew, the more she could plan.

"Information on Carl Elias' killer." Fusco answered with a sigh. "Of course, we couldn't tell him anything because..."

"Samaritan would kill him too." Shaw finished, finally turning her gaze to Fusco. "Know where he would be?" 

"I'll write up a list for you." Fusco said as he pulled out his notebook and began scribbling down addresses from memory that he had searched for a few days prior. He wanted to know where to find the guy just in case Reese couldn't get him to back off. When he was finished, he ripped the page out and handed it to her. Just as she gripped the paper, he pulled on it slightly to get her attention. "You need anything you let me know."

"Now that you mention it, I need to borrow a gun." Shaw said monotonously.

Fusco shook his head as he popped the glove box and pulled out a Glock 17. "Unused and unregistered. It's all yours." He said as he handed to her. "You be careful, okay?"

Shaw took the gun with a nod before patting Bear for a moment and getting out of the car, disappearing into the night without a trace.

\-----

It wasn't until the third address that Shaw felt as though she was being followed. She had stuck to the shadow map that she remembered in great detail, although in hindsight it was probably outdated. She gripped the handle of the gun that was tucked away in the pocket of the hoodie that she had thrown on before she and Root left for the subway. 

She purposefully went down a side alley and hid at the corner, waiting for someone to come round the corner. Sure enough, a tall figure strolled around a few moments later and Shaw quickly through her hand around there mouth and pressed the barrel of the gun into their back. "I'm going to remove my hand and you're gonna turn around. Try anything and you catch a bullet, understand?" She asked in a low, dangerous tone.

She felt like a caged animal that had broken out of the zoo, although in a way she was. She felt the figure nod their head and she slowly removed her hand.

"Sameen." She heard the figure whisper and she automatically dropped the gun from where it was pressed into the now familiar person's back.

"What the hell Root?" Shaw asked angrily. She wasn't really mad at Root, she was mad at herself for not recognising the perky psycho sooner. "I could have shot you."

"You seriously thought I was going to let you walk into a firefight without backup?" Root asked her, equally as angry at Shaw however the reason was different. She didn't know how Shaw could think she would let her dive head first into a suicide mission without backup, more specifically her, after being back for about two days. She had already lost Shaw once and she barely survived.

Shaw ran a shaky hand through her hair as she exhaled a breath she didn't realise she had been holding. Root could see the emotions swirling in her eyes despite the expressionless mask she wore. Root knew exactly what she was thinking, what she was feeling. After all, she was the only person that could.

"I'm scared too." Root whispered in the most vulnerable tone that Shaw had ever heard in her life. The pressure in Shaw's cheat returned, much heavier than before and she could have sworn her heart stopped for a few seconds. "But we have to stick together. I'm not going to lose you again."

"We better get going then." Shaw told her, holding out the list of addresses to the brunette.

\-----

An hour later, at the fifth and final address, a barber shop, the Machine began chirping in Root's ear. According to heat signatures, there were six people in the front of the store and four in the back, including a small figure that was consistent with a toddler.

They quickly made a game plan, deciding that Root would take the front in case of surveillance cameras and Shaw would take the back. Shaw easily made her way through an alleyway to the back door which was secured with a metal lock. She waited until she could hear gunshots before shooting the lock and throwing the door open.

At once, two men ran towards her in order to fight her. What they didn't notice was the gun firmly gripped in Shaw's hand and she immediately shot them in both knee caps before completely entering the room. The third guy had been smart enough to hide by the door and jumped, easily knocking her weapon to the floor a few feet away. What he didn't account for was Shaw's explosive rage and was quickly flipped onto his back, getting absolute crap beaten out of him. Shaw didn't stop until he was completely unconscious and she still retrieved her pistol and kneecapped him anyway. She the proceeded to scan the immediate vicinity with her gun raised and only lowered it when she was sure that there was no one else prepared to run at her. 

A closet in the corner of the room immediately caught her attention and she slowly made her way over, preparing herself for a worse case scenario. She could hear voices coming from the store front but couldn't make out what they were saying, not that it mattered much to her anyway. She opened the door in one swift motion with her gun at the ready.

However, she quickly lowered the weapon and tucked it into the back waistband of her jeans when she saw a small body lying on the floor curled in on itself. She hesitantly reached out for him and, when he didn't react, she ran her hand through his hair gently. It was only then that he looked up, completely scared and confused as to what was happening. Shaw's blood boiled when she saw the bruised beginning to form on the side of his face and a cut on his forehead that she could tell would need stitches just by looking at it. His face was tearstained and his hands were slightly shaking. It only made her want to shoot the three men groaning on the floor until they were swiss cheese but her son needed her more at that moment.

Shaw made quick work of wrapping the little boy in her arms and picking him up. He didn't say anything as she did so, he simply wrapped his arms around her neck with a tight grip and buried his face into a neck where she could feel moisture seeping into her hoodie. Not that she minded of course. 

It was then that Root and John walked into the room and Shaw could hear Root whispering her many thank you's to the Machine as she approached. John remained by the door, briefly checking on Oliver before returning to their captive. Root softly ran her hand up and down Oliver's back until he turned his head enough so that he could see her. Shaw noticed the tear fall as she made eye contact with the three year old and offered him a soft, genuine smile.

"You wanna get outta here?" Shaw asked Root softly, subconsciously tightening her grip on their son. She received a nod from the other woman and felt a nod on her shoulder from the child in her arms that she didn't want to let go ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone has any prompts, let me know. Thanks for reading.


	6. Chapter 6

Shaw refused to let go of the little boy throughout the short journey to one of Finch's safe houses, even though he had fallen asleep a few minutes into the ride. Reese was driving back on his own with Moran. He was smart enough to imagine what Shaw would do if they were trapped in a confined space with each other. If Shaw had it her way, he would experience an extremely painful and drawn out death for allowing one of his goons to lay hands on her kid. But she was better than that, besides Root and Oliver were better company anyway.

It didn't surprised Shaw when they arrived that there was quite a large group already in the living area. Finch stood off to the side with Fusco as Elias and Moran spoke whilst Reese stood close by Moran, prepared to restrain him if necessary. At the sight of Moran, Shaw managed to contain her anger when she caught a whiff of Root's familiar scent as she leant in to her.

"Why don't you take him into the other room, sweetie?" Root asked, although Shaw could tell that it wasn't a suggestion. Shaw gave her a skeptical look to which Root smiled softly in response. "I'll be there in a few minutes." 

So with that promise Shaw made her way further into the apartment, taking in the relieved expressions that crossed Reese, Fusco, Finch and, surprisingly, Elias' faces. There was a room that seemed to be set up as a study with a couch that Shaw figured would be good enough for Oliver to sleep on for a little while.

She unwrapped his arms from around her neck and placed him onto the couch gently before removing the gun from her waistband and placing it on the desk. It wasn't her usual weapons of choice, which was typically a Heckler & Koch USP Compact or a Beretta Nano, but it had gotten the job done. She sat down on the chair that was tucked into the desk and watched over the three year old as he peacefully slept. Out of all of them, he definitely deserved the shuteye the most after the traumatic evening he had just experienced.

The more she looked at him, the more similarities she made to Root and even her own parents however subtle they may have been. He truly was a perfect mixture of herself and Root and it was comforting to know that if something happened to her that Root would have him to remind her of Shaw and vice versa, not that she was going to let that happen. There was no way in hell she was going anywhere, especially after learning that she had already missed out of three years of his life.

About five minutes later, the door to the room creaked open however it wasn't Root as she had expected. Instead it was Carl Elias who entered as quietly as possible and held out a first aid kit to her.

"I thought that this may be of use to you." He reasoned quietly. He barely bat an eye at the dirty look that Shaw gave him as she took the kit and crouched in front of the couch. She brushed some of Oliver's hair out of the way gently to get a better look a the wound on his forehead and assess the damage properly. "Bruce should have known better."

"Yeah, he should of." Shaw agreed in a harsh mumble. Oliver was a child and Moran had no right to drag him into whatever mess had been made. She had thought that guys like Elias and Moran lived by a code but apparently not.

"I have seen to it that none of you will be bother by him again." Elias informed her. "He had no business taking your son and I would like to offer you my sincerest apologies."

Shaw stopped what she was doing and turned to face the man. She could see that he was being genuine and she couldn't find it in her to tell him off. "I appreciate that." She replied instead before turning her attention back to her son.

Elias wisely chose that moment to leave the room and it was only a few minutes after that Root entered. She looked just as worn down as Shaw felt and she could see that all the emotions that Root had experienced in the past few hours were threatening to break her. She had gone from one emotional extreme with Shaw to another with Oliver and she was having trouble processing it. She took a seat on the couch beside Oliver, careful not to disturb the boy too much. 

"How bad is it?" She asked with a soft yawn. She supported her head with her arm that was propped up on the arm of the couch. She was so emotionally drained that she felt like she could sleep forever and still be exhausted.

"I'm gonna have to stitch this up and the bruise should be there for about a week but, other than that, he should be alright." Shaw replied, catching Root's tired gaze. "You doing okay?"

Root released a shaky breath and blinked to keep the stream of moisture that was threatening to fall at bay. She looked down at Oliver with a loving gaze and a soft smile that Shaw had noticed she only used in relation to the three year old. She then turned her gaze to Shaw and the weight of the emotions that the Persian could identify didn't overwhelm her at all. In fact, it made her want more. She wanted Root to lose control and let her emotions out but now wasn't the time. "I am now." She whispered.

\-----

Instead of making their way back to the other safe house, Root decided that it would be best if they took Oliver home. Shaw had hesitated but Root simply gave her a trusting look and insisted that she be the one to keep a hold of Oliver. The little boy had begun whimpering in his sleep so Shaw had no problem with holding him until they reached the small apartment. When he would shift, she would whisper in his ear which almost instantly calmed him down. 

When they arrived, Root let her in and instructed her on where Oliver's room was. The apartment was fairly simple but felt more homey than any other place that Shaw had ever stayed, including Finch's safe house. The apartment was obviously occupied, as things were littered haphazardly. One of Root's many laptops was sat on the coffee table among the drawings, crayons and toy cars that Shaw could assume were constant residents.

She passed by a few rooms and flicked on light switches as she went; a bedroom which Shaw was certain belonged to Root judging from the lava lamp and bunny slippers, a study which was filled with electronics, books and drawings hung up on the wall, and a bathroom. Oliver's room was the last one down the hallway and Shaw took a quick look around before tucking him into bed. 

His room was neater than Shaw had expected from a three year old and Root, who couldn't keep a room clean if her life depended on it. There were a few toys and clothes scattered around and there was drawings covering most of the walls. Root hadn't been kidding when she said he was quite the artist. 

The bed was unmade, probably because they had left in the middle of the night to go to the safe house she had been moved to. She tidied it up a little and slid the three year old into the bed and made sure that he was tucked in. However, as soon as she lost contact with him he began whimpering. Shaw could only imagine what the overactive imagination of a toddler could do to his subconscious, especially after the frightening ordeal he had just been rescued from. So she made a split second decision and slipped into the single bed, wrapping her arms around him to make sure he knew someone was there with him.

This was how Root found them and her heart melted at the sight of the love of her life holding and comforting their son, their baby boy. Root had been so unsure when she had discovered that she was pregnant. She knew with certainty what she wanted but she didn't know how Shaw would react. Would Shaw want to keep the baby? Would Shaw want have a baby with her? What would Shaw want? She had been comforted by the Machine that night and She had reasoned with her about the many questions that remained unanswered due to Shaw's absence. But, in the end, they had worked it out and Root had absolutely no regrets, especially now seeing how gentle Shaw was with Oliver, how he had consumed her thoughts and seemed to be the main factor in all the decisions she was now making.

Root leant on the frame of the door, watching the two people that owned her heart. Shaw could feel her staring and her never ending stream of thoughts became clearer.

"I want out Root." She said quietly and Root's attention was instantly on her. "I don't want to... I can't work the numbers anymore. Not after everything." 

"Sameen," Root gained her attention with simply the tone of her voice, heavy and determined as if she was hellbent on telling Shaw whatever it was she was going to say next. She made her way into the room and sat on the small space left on the edge of the bed. "I will respect whatever decision you make and I know that the boys will too. But, you have to understand that once the Machine gives us your new cover, you can't go back. It's permanent. So, you have to be sure."

Shaw remained silent for a few minutes, thinking her options over. She thought back on her life, how empty she had constantly felt. She hadn't had a purpose until she began working numbers but she hadn't had a reason to fight, a reason to survive until she meet Root. Now learning about and spending time with Oliver, their child that she had never given any thought to having in her thirty four years of life, she had a reason to live. She didn't want to drag him into their world, constantly moving around and never knowing if any of them were safe. He deserved better than that, a normal life.

She grasped Root's hand slowly and intertwined their fingers as she ran her other hand through Oliver's hair soothingly as he shifted further into her. She didn't need to start working numbers again to know that it wasn't what she wanted. She wanted Root and Oliver, a normal life where she didn't have to worry about succumbing to Samaritan's torture. She wanted a family, her family.

Shaw nodded a few moments later. "As soon as we kick this things ass, I'm done." Shaw told her in a gentle whisper, offering Root the softest smile she possibly could. "I don't want to keep surviving, I want to start living. I want a life where you and Oliver are safe and I know I'll make it home at the end of the day. I want you, Root."

Root smiled back at her, barely containing the tears that were threatening to fall. She looked down at their hands and allowed a single tear to fall. She never allowed herself to imagine Shaw saying anything along these lines to her but she had just been given everything she ever wanted and more.

Root hesitantly moved her face towards Shaw's until their foreheads were firmly pressed together. They stared into each other's eyes for what felt like eternity and even that wouldn't be enough. They had committed every detail of each other to memory but always managed to find something new or different. It was something neither woman would ever get sick of. 

It was Shaw that initiated the kiss, the first kiss they had shared since she had come back, with a simple tilt of her head. It was as light as a feather but fuelled with passion and everything that Shaw couldn't put into words. She was certain that their were no words in any language on Earth that could accurately describe the way she felt about Root. She would rather killed herself over 7000 more times than do anything to hurt her, directly or indirectly. Root was the only person that made her feel things strong enough to completely beat her down, and she had noticed that it was the same way with Oliver.

When they reluctantly pulled their lips apart for breath, Root brought her free hand to Shaw's face and cupped her face as she began to run her thumb against her cheek as if she would disappear at any moment. And at that moment, gazing into Root's mesmerising eyes and having her son, their son, curled into her, she was the happiest and safest that she had ever been and ever would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the final chapter of this fic but I will be accepting prompts for this universe or any other. Thank you for reading and I sincerly hope that you all enjoyed it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. I sincerely hoped you enjoyed it. I encourage you to provide feedback as I am looking to improve my writing. Also, please send propmts. I am becoming more open to the idea.


End file.
